Tristan ClumNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Spencer Beckwith covers the performing arts in Northern and Central New Mexico for KUNM.NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Spencer Beckwith On The ArtsFri, 09 Dec 2016 13:33:24 +0000Spencer Beckwith On The Artshttp://kunm.org
Spencer BeckwithSaturday nights this month, Albuquerque's Indian Pueblo Cultural Center will recreate a wintertime tradition of New Mexico's pueblo communities. Visitors of all ages will gather around a bonfire outside in the Center's courtyard to hear tales from pueblo storytellers. Bettina Sandoval from the Center's Education Department has organized Stories by the Fireside . She describes how her experiences growing up at Taos Pueblo inspired the series.Stories By The Fireside On A Winter's Nighthttp://kunm.org/post/stories-fireside-winters-night
82872 as http://kunm.orgFri, 02 Dec 2016 16:43:00 +0000Stories By The Fireside On A Winter's NightSpencer BeckwithAmong the Spanish traditions brought north from Mexico along the Camino Real was Las Pastorelas , musical plays of the Nativity. Told from the shepherds' point of view, the plays have been performed in the New Mexico Territory since the 17th Century. One popular version, La Gran Pastorela , continues to tour local communities during the holidays. Socorro teacher Sheri Armijo has helped organize the Spanish-language production for the past nine years. She describes La Gran Pastorela as "living history," a "work of art from the Golden Age of Spain that has been preserved over time." All performances are free to the public. Click here for a schedule .A Centuries-Old Christmas Tradition Lives On In New Mexicohttp://kunm.org/post/centuries-old-christmas-tradition-lives-new-mexico
82658 as http://kunm.orgFri, 25 Nov 2016 16:56:00 +0000A Centuries-Old Christmas Tradition Lives On In New MexicoSpencer BeckwithIn 1929, from the open cockpit of their biplane, newlyweds Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh took some of the first aerial photographs of the terrain and ruins of the Southwest. Eighty years later, another high-flying photographer, Adriel Heisey, took the exact same shots. Seventeen pairs of these magnificent photographs are on display in Oblique Views: Archaeology, Photography, and Time at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe. The exhibit's curator, archeologist Maxine McBrinn, talks about how these now-and-then photographs reveal significant changes in our rivers, streams and acequias. In this more complete version of the interview, Ms. McBrinn speaks in greater detail about the ecological, technological and population-related changes revealed in the two sets of photographs.How The Southwest's Landscape Changed Over Timehttp://kunm.org/post/how-southwests-landscape-changed-over-time
82474 as http://kunm.orgFri, 18 Nov 2016 17:08:00 +0000How The Southwest's Landscape Changed Over TimeSpencer BeckwithTwenty-four young pianists will travel to Albuquerque this month to compete against each other for prize money, concert engagements and professional recognition. The first-ever Olga Kern International Piano Competition has attracted contestants from, among other countries, China, South Korea, the Czech Republic, Brazil and Japan. One of the Americans taking part is 23-year-old Joshua Rupley , born and raised in Albuquerque, and now living and studying in Germany. From his home in Wurzberg, Josh explains how an international competition can benefit a young musician. In this more complete version of the conversation, Josh talks about growing up in Albuquerque and the reasons for his move to Germany.One Contestant Looks Ahead To The Olga Kern Piano Competitionhttp://kunm.org/post/one-contestant-looks-ahead-olga-kern-piano-competition
81916 as http://kunm.orgFri, 04 Nov 2016 15:52:00 +0000One Contestant Looks Ahead To The Olga Kern Piano CompetitionSpencer BeckwithThe Big Room at Carlsbad Caverns in southeastern New Mexico is 4,000 feet long, 600 feet wide and, at its highest point, 255 feet high; it comprises 8 acres of natural formations and is located 750 feet beneath the surface of the earth. On November 4, and for the first time since 1933, the National Park Service will welcome the public into the Big Room for an evening of music. A string quartet from the New Mexico Philharmonic will perform works by Haydn, Grieg, Bach and Dvorak. The one-time-only concert has generated such excitement, says NPS spokesperson Valerie Gohlke, that all 250 tickets for the free event were spoken for in a day and a half.A Concert Inside Carlsbad Caverns http://kunm.org/post/concert-inside-carlsbad-caverns
81327 as http://kunm.orgSat, 22 Oct 2016 00:05:00 +0000A Concert Inside Carlsbad Caverns Spencer BeckwithA group of anxious young people gather in a bar. They're about to take part in a whirlwind game of romantic connection -- a sort of high-stakes musical chairs. Speed Dating is a contemporary opera by the popular American composer Michael Ching. The New Mexico premiere will be performed by students in the University of New Mexico's Opera Theatre program October 21-23 at Keller Hall in Albuquerque. Leslie Umphrey and Sam Shepperson, co-directors of the UNM Opera Theatre, say that Speed Dating 's approachable storyline and flexible production requirements make it ideal for their students and for audiences who might be unfamiliar with opera.Speed Dating Tonight!http://kunm.org/post/speed-dating-tonight
80723 as http://kunm.orgFri, 07 Oct 2016 15:31:00 +0000Speed Dating Tonight!Spencer Beckwith"It's a rage right now, a new American pastime." Local ukulele enthusiast, and professional percussionist, John Bartlit thinks that "in our jet set, apartment-moving society, it's a perfect fit." The unassuming four-string instrument, which emerged in Hawaii in the late 19th Century, will be the center of attention in Albuquerque on September 23-25 when national and local musicians convene for the 3rd annual Ukekopelli Festival . In this more complete version of the conversation, John describes his contributions to the Ukekopelli Festival, both as a performer and workshop leader. Honky Tonk Corazon, one of John Bartlit's original compositions, performed as a ukulele duet by John and his daughter Nola Bartlit.The Approachable Charm of the Ukulelehttp://kunm.org/post/approachable-charm-ukulele
80179 as http://kunm.orgFri, 16 Sep 2016 15:45:00 +0000The Approachable Charm of the UkuleleSpencer BeckwithOn display this month at Albuquerque's National Hispanic Cultural Center is a series of ten murals -- all made entirely out of seeds. The murals were created in towns and schools and at community events all around New Mexico, as part of an artistic effort to promote healthy environments. The organization behind the installation is Seeds A Collective Voice , which was founded three years ago by New Mexico-based artist Jade Leyva. The inspiration for the project came from the murales de semillas of Jade's native Mexico, a form of community art she wanted to bring to the United States.The Community Seed Mural Projecthttp://kunm.org/post/community-seed-mural-project
79853 as http://kunm.orgFri, 09 Sep 2016 16:05:00 +0000The Community Seed Mural ProjectSpencer BeckwithAlmost 70 dealers from around the country will converge on the Santa Fe Railyard in mid-August for the 3rd annual Antique American Indian Art Show . They will display, and offer for sale, a range of historical material made by Native American artisans in the years leading up to, and through, World War II. The Art Show's co-producer, collector Kim Martindale, explains how this new, dealer-based show differs from the artist-based shows, such as Indian Market, that have long defined summer in Santa Fe. In this longer version of the interview, Martindale talks about Woven in Beauty: 100 Years of Navajo Master Weavers from the Toadlena/Two Grey Hills Region , a curated exhibition of Navajo textiles that is running in conjunction with the Antique American Indian Art Show.A Curation Of Antique Art From Indian Country http://kunm.org/post/curation-antique-art-indian-country
78574 as http://kunm.orgThu, 11 Aug 2016 21:25:22 +0000A Curation Of Antique Art From Indian Country Spencer BeckwithMaria Tallchief was America's first major prima ballerina; her sister Marjorie was also a successful ballerina; together they inspired a love of ballet in their homeland, the Osage Nation of Oklahoma. Carrying on this tradition today in Osage country is Randy Tinker Smith. Randy and her daughter Jenna Smith have received national attention for Wahzhazhe, The Osage Ballet . The production comes to Santa Fe on August 6 . To create the ballet, Randy spent a year listening to Osage elders and researching Osage history. She says that for generations other people have been speaking for the Osage Nation; this time it's "great to tell our own story." Randy describes Wahzhazhe in greater detail in this longer version of the interview, and talks about performing the ballet for Pope Francis at the International Festival of Families in Philadelphia in 2015.The Osage Tell Their Own Storyhttp://kunm.org/post/osage-tell-their-own-story
78341 as http://kunm.orgFri, 29 Jul 2016 16:35:00 +0000The Osage Tell Their Own StorySpencer BeckwithHer head is over six feet tall, made up of 104 bead-like ceramic objects. Her hair is woven fabric, long enough to attach to the surrounding walls. And she speaks. She is entitled Everything Anywhere and she is installed this summer at the Center for Contemporary Arts in Santa Fe. Her creator is the busy young New Mexico-based ceramic artist Cannupa Hanska Luger . Cannupa explains the unusual process he followed in creating Everything Anywhere, a work he hopes will express a "matriarchal" form of embrace. In this longer version of the conversation, Cannupa discusses the complex audio component of his installation.Cannupa Hanska Luger's Vision Of Benevolencehttp://kunm.org/post/cannupa-hanska-lugers-vision-benevolence
77746 as http://kunm.orgFri, 22 Jul 2016 15:38:00 +0000Cannupa Hanska Luger's Vision Of BenevolenceSpencer BeckwithOn view this summer at the Albuquerque Museum is Drawing Into Architecture: Sketches and Models of Antoine Predock . Included are almost 300 works on paper, along with clay architectural models, representing, in a small way, the 50-year career of the internationally-known New Mexico-based architect. KUNM joined Antoine Predock at his Albuquerque studio for a half-hour conversation about the new exhibition (and the companion book now available from UNM Press) and about his decision in 1967 to base his practice in the state he calls his "spiritual home." This shorter version of the interview aired during KUNM's broadcast of NPR's Weekend Edition on July 16, 2016.With Antoine Predock In His Studiohttp://kunm.org/post/antoine-predock-his-studio
77421 as http://kunm.orgFri, 15 Jul 2016 13:56:00 +0000With Antoine Predock In His StudioSpencer BeckwithRevered as a deity by native peoples, then marked for extermination by the federal government. Derided as a "living, breathing allegory of want" by Mark Twain, then crowned a king of cool by the Beat Generation. New Mexico writer Dan Flores tracks the range of reactions the coyote has inspired over the years in Coyote America , just published by Basic Books. The book is his attempt, says Flores, to tell the story of the coyote's development over the millenia, but also to put that story into the context of the animal's encounters with man. Dan Flores speaks in greater detail about his new book, and, in particular, discusses how coyotes were able to survive efforts over the years to exterminate them, while wolves were not.A History Of The Coyotehttp://kunm.org/post/history-coyote
76722 as http://kunm.orgFri, 24 Jun 2016 15:49:00 +0000A History Of The CoyoteSpencer BeckwithThrough 20 years of performances and classes, an award-winning Albuquerque band has brought the distinctive sound of Scottish music to the Southwest. The High Desert Pipes and Drums will be joined by guest musicians and dancers for a fundraising concert on June 25 and 26 at the Hiland Theatre. Longtime member, bagpiper Patricia Sharp, explains that in 1999 the High Desert Pipes and Drums became the first American pipe band to win in Grade IV of the World Pipe Band Championships in Scotland, and the band is today still the only American group to do so. In this more complete version of the conversation, Patricia talks about the upcoming concert, The Road to the Isles , and explains why the Pipes and Drums' motto is "Loud is Good." Two selections from The High Desert Pipes and Drums' CD, The Best of 20. First, The Drunken Piper/Campbell’s Farewell To Redcastle and then an arrangement of Amazing Grace.Sounds Of Scotland In The Desert Airhttp://kunm.org/post/sounds-scotland-desert-air
76560 as http://kunm.orgFri, 17 Jun 2016 15:32:00 +0000Sounds Of Scotland In The Desert AirSpencer BeckwithEach summer, the Broadway League, the national theater industry association, brings to New York talented young performers from around the country. They compete for scholarships, recognition and possibly a pathway to the Broadway stage in the National High School Musical Theater Awards . This year, two teenagers from New Mexico will be taking part. They will be selected in a public performance on May 8 at Albuquerque's Popejoy Hall. Popejoy's Terry Davis explains that the finalists in the Popejoy Awards were selected by a team of adjudicators who traveled the state to attend high school musical theater productions. Popejoy Hall is New Mexico's home for Broadway touring shows, but it's also a not-for-profit organization. In this longer version of the interview, Terry says that funding for the Popejoy Awards, as well as for Popejoy's educational programs, comes in large part from donors.Local Teens Get A Shot At Broadwayhttp://kunm.org/post/local-teens-get-shot-broadway
74934 as http://kunm.orgFri, 06 May 2016 14:57:00 +0000Local Teens Get A Shot At BroadwaySpencer BeckwithThis month, the Jazz Journalists Association named Tom Guralnick one of its 2016 Jazz Heroes , individuals of positive influence on their musical communities. Since he arrived here in 1976, Tom has created, or helped to create, three thriving local organizations, the New Mexico Jazz Workshop, the New Mexico Jazz Festival, and Albuquerque's Outpost Performance Space .Tom Guralnick, Jazz Herohttp://kunm.org/post/tom-guralnick-jazz-hero
74787 as http://kunm.orgFri, 29 Apr 2016 14:52:00 +0000Tom Guralnick, Jazz HeroSpencer BeckwithIn 2014, Spanish artist Janire Nájera set out on a journey from New Mexico to California, following the 19th Century trade route known as the Old Spanish Trail. Traveling in an SUV through six states, Najera documented the descendants of the Trail's first Spanish settlers. The result is Moving Forward, Looking Back , an exhibition that has been seen around the world and is on view now through September at Albuquerque's National Hispanic Cultural Center. Nájera describes the journey as her attempt to "capture this intangible heritage" before it's lost to future generations. In this longer version of the interview, Janire Nájera discusses reactions to the exhibition when it was displayed in Europe.Journeying Across The Old Spanish Trailhttp://kunm.org/post/journeying-across-old-spanish-trail
73920 as http://kunm.orgFri, 15 Apr 2016 19:53:00 +0000Journeying Across The Old Spanish TrailSpencer BeckwithKids, probably from the start of civilization, have been plagued by that irritating question. And so is Samuel, a young boy who takes a day off from school to find the answer. Samuel's Story is a new multimedia book for kids by New Mexico performance poet Hakim Bellamy .What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?http://kunm.org/post/what-do-you-want-be-when-you-grow
73600 as http://kunm.orgFri, 01 Apr 2016 15:39:00 +0000What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?Spencer BeckwithHow do we bring Native American composers into the conversation about new music? The University of New Mexico's 45th annual John Donald Robb Composers' Symposium , being held on the UNM Albuquerque campus from March 28 to April 1, will look at indigenous contributions to contemporary art music. All events are free and open to the public. Peter Gilbert, Assistant Professor of Music at UNM and the Symposium's Co-Director, says that one of the gathering's panel discussions will look at the role that Native American identity plays in the music created by indigenous composers. In the longer version of the interview, Peter Gilbert talks about the concerts and discussions planned for the 2016 Symposium.Listening To Indigenous Composershttp://kunm.org/post/listening-indigenous-composers
73329 as http://kunm.orgFri, 25 Mar 2016 15:35:00 +0000Listening To Indigenous ComposersSpencer BeckwithShe spent her life in the place she was born, Acoma Pueblo. As a very young girl there, under the guidance of her great-aunt, Lucy Lewis began to learn the traditional art of Acoma pottery. Over the next 80-plus years, she not only mastered that art but changed it, and in the process helped to bring a new appreciation to Native Art. On March 12 , Albuquerque's Indian Pueblo Cultural Center looks at the artistic legacy of the late Lucy Lewis. Andrew Thomas, Native Art Specialist at the Center's Shumakolowa Gallery, says that Lucy Lewis was a modern champion of an ancient tradition -- the time-consuming "old method" of making pottery.The Legacy Of Lucy Lewishttp://kunm.org/post/legacy-lucy-lewis
72441 as http://kunm.orgFri, 04 Mar 2016 15:55:00 +0000The Legacy Of Lucy Lewis